Rotary explosive-engine.



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'5 Sheets-Sheet l.

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1H: Noam PETERS co. moro-urne, wAsmNmoN. D4 c Patented oct. 23, |900.

5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

F. G. BATES. ROTARY EXPLUSIVE ENGINE.

(Applxcatxon filed Jan 29, 1900) (No Model.)

Patented Oct. 23, i900.' F. G. BATES. BUTARY EXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

(Applica-tien led Jan. 29, 1900.) 4

I 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.'

(No Model.)

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ME Nonms vcrzns co. Pam-ammo.. vusmnomn. o. c.

No. 060,402. 0 VPa'fmd oct. 23, |900.

F. 0. BATES. ROTARY EXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

(Application led Jan.V 29, 1900.) (N0 Model.)

we wams Prins cn.. wu'omumo.. wAsmumon, D cv UNiTnD STATES PATENT FFICE.

FRANCIS G. BATES, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ROTARY EXPLOSIVEiENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 660,482, dated October 23, 1 900.

Application iled January 29, 1900. Serial No. 3,247. (No model.)

To tZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS G. BATES, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Rotary Gas or Vapor Engines, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to construct a simple, compact, and efficient form of rotary engine to be operated by an expansive or explosive gas, special features of myinvention being the means employed for compressing air or gas to form part of the explosive or expansive charge, the means employed for effectingaproperadmixture of air and oil when these are used to form the expansive or explosive gas, the means employed for regulating the admission of the motive fluid to the cylinder or cylinders, and the devices employed for igniting the explosive mixture when the motive iiuid is of that character.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view, partly in side elevation and partlyin longitudinal section, of a rotary engine and appurtenances therefor constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the engine structure and of the gearing whereby the motion is transmitted therefrom. Fig. 3 is a view of the engine, partly in longitudinal section and partly in elevation and on an enlarged scale. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the engine, partly in elevation and also on an enlarged scale. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the air and oil mixer employed in connection with the engine. Fig. 6 is an enlarged View of the valve mechanism and governing devices of the engine. Fig. 7 is a sectional plan view on an enlarged scale, illustrating igniting devices which may be employed when the motive iiuid is of an explosive character. Fig. 8 is a front view of one of the multiple cams of the valve-governing device. Fig. 9 is a sectional plan View on the line a ct, Fig. 3; and Fig. 10 is'a sectional plan view on the line b b, Fig. 3.

In Figs. 1 and 2 I have illustrated my improved rotary engine as constituting the motor for driving a vehicle, the outlines of which are shown by dotted lines; but it should be understood that the engine is not limited to this use, but can be used for driving torpedoboats, dynamos, or, in fact, for any purpose for which a rotary engine is adapted, the fact that the motive Huid employed is always under pressure and therefore capable of drivboth pistons are of the same area and are in-` tended to work under high pressure instead of by compounding, as in the patented engine.

In the present instance the engine-shaft 4 is provided with a spur-wheel 5,which meshes with another spur-wheel 6 on a shaft 7, parallel with the engine-shaft, both shafts being adapted to suitable bearings carried by the framework of the vehicle and each shaft having a worm 8, which meshes with a wormwheel 9, so as to turn loosely on the drivingaxle 10 of the vehicle. Splined or otherwise mounted on said axle, so as to be free to move longitudinally thereon, but incapable of turning independently thereof, is a duplex friction clutch-sleeve 1l, which can be moved longitudinally by a suitable lever,so as to engage With the recessed h'ub of either of the worm-wheels 9 orso as to be disengaged from the hubs of both of said wheels.

Owing to the use of the spur-gears 5 and 6 one worm-wheel 9 rotates in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the other. Hence by proper adjustment of the clutch-sleeve 1l the axle l0 can be driven either forwardly or backwardly or can be released from driving connection with either of the worm-wheels.

As in the patented engine before referred to, each cylinder has a projecting chest 12, in which is adapted to slide a plunger 13, having a swinging shoe 14 for bearing upon the periphery of the eccentric piston of the engine; but in the presents-instance instead of relying upon springs to cause these plu ngers to follow up the piston and keepthe shoe in constant bearing contact therewith I provide IOO each plunger with depending side wings 15, which carry antifriction-rollers 16, the latter running in grooves 17 in the piston, as shown in Fig. 4, so that. a positive reciprocating movement is imparted to each of the plungers 13 as the pistons rotate. The upper portion of each plunger 13 and chest 12 is circular in cross-section, as shown in Fig. 9, so as to permit of the use of packing-rings 13a on the plunger; but the lower portion of each plunger is cut away to permit of the use of the flat-sided shoe 14, the lower portion of the chest 12 being recessed, as shown in Fig. 10, so as to receive said flat-sided shoe when the plunger 13 is at the top oroutermost portion of its stroke.

Each of the chests 12 of the engine-casing serves in the present instance as an air-pump cylinder, or gas may be compressed thereby when gas is used, or one chest may serve as an air-compressor and the other as a gascompressor. In the present instance both act as air-compressors. v

The cap or cover plate 18 of each chest is provided with an induction-valve 19 and an educl ion-valve 20, normally closed by springs, so that as the plunger 13 reciprocates in the chest air will be drawn into the same through the valve 19 and will be discharged through the valve 20, entering a pipe 2l, which is provided with a suitable check-valve 22 and safety or flow-off valve 22a, and communicates with an air-reservoir 23, suitably located. Hence, supposing that the pistons 2 and 3 are set opposite to each other on the shaft of the engine, there will be a constant flow of air into the reservoir 23, and any desired degree of pressure of air may be maintained in the latter.v

Alongside of the air-reservoir 23 is an oil-reservoir 24, which communicates through two pipes 25 and 26 with an air and oil mixer 27,the detailed construction of which is shown in Fig. 5,said mixer consisting ofa casing of inverted- U shape, forming, in effect, a bent portion of the pipe 28, through which air under pressure passes from the reservoir 23 to the engine. The mixer 27 has a central downwardly-projecting neck 29, in which are two passages 30 and 31, the former constituting a continuation of the pipe 25 and the passage 31 constituting a continuation of the pipe 26, both of these passages being curved or bent at their upper ends, the passage 31 being bent in the direction of the onflowing current of air and the passage 30 being bent in the opposite direction and each communicating with said onflowing current of air. The pipe 25 communicates with the upper portion of the oil-reservoir 24, and the pipe 26 communicates with thelower portion of said reservoir. Hence when there is any current of air iowing through the mixer 27 in the direction of the arrows, Fig. 5, a portion of this air will enter the bent upper'end of the passage 30 and will be forced down through the pipe 25 and into the upper end of the oil-reservoir 24,

so as to exert pressure upon the oil therein and force the same upwardly through the pipe 26 and passage 31, a stream or jet of oil consequently emerging from said passage and mingling with the air as the latter leaves the mixer 27. A valve 32 in the pipe 25 serves to limit the flow of air therethrough, and a valve 33 in the pipe 26 likewise serves to limit the flow of oil through the latter pipe,

and this valve is preferably an automaticI valve, whereby the amount of oil supplied for admixture with the air may be varied in accoi-dance with the requirements of the engine. This automatic operation of the valve 33 may be effected by providing the same with an arm 34, acted upon by the movable spindle 37 of a centrifugal governor 35, carried by the shaft 4 of the engine, as shown in Fig. 6, for instance. The weighted arms of the governor may act upon a collar 36 on the movable spindle 37, and the slotted end of the valve arm 34 may be confined between a washer 38 at the end of said spindle and another washer 39, acted upon by acoiled spring 40,interposed between said washer and a bearing upon a part of the fixed yoke of the governor.

The pipe 28 should have a throttle-valve 28a, so that the flow of air through the same can be readily controlled, as desired.

Besides serving to automatically regulate the admixture of oil and air to form the motive fluid for the engine the governor serves to regulate the admission of said motive fluid to the engine in proper quantity and at the proper time. This is effected in the manner shown in Fig. 6, on reference to which it will be observed that the movable spindle 37 of the governor has a pin or bolt 41, passing through slots 42 in the engine-shaft 4 and engaging with a duplex cam-slide 43, mounted on said engine-shaft, so as to be free to move longitudinally thereon while always rotating therewith. Each of the cam formations of the slide 43 has a series of steps 61 of varying peripheral extent, as shown in Fig. 8, and by longitudinal movement of the cam-slide on the engine-shaft either of these steps may be caused to act upon an antifriction-roller 44, carried by the stem 45 of an inlet-valve 46, whereby motive fluid is admitted to the engine, there being two of these valves, one for each cylinder of the engine, both valves being contained in the same chest 47 and one of them serving to regulate the iiow of motive uid through a pipe 48 to the cylinder containing the piston 2, while the other regulates the flow of motive fluid through a pipe 49 to the cylinder containing the piston 3.

Each of the valves 46 is closed by the action of a spring 50 and is opened by the action of one of the cams of the cam sleeve 43, and by making each of these cams with several steps of different peripheral extent the length of time during each stroke of the piston that the valve which supplies motive fluid to the cylinder containing said piston is kept IOO IIO

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open will depend upon which of the steps of the cam is acting upon the valvestein, and the movement oi' the cam-slide 43 under the influence of the governor is such that as the speed of the engine increases shorter and shorter steps of the cam will be brought into action, and the motive fiuid will be admitted to the cylinder for a correspondingly-shorter portion of each stroke, thus regulating the power of the engine to accord with the load.

The two cam formations of the cam-slide 43 are set opposite each other to accord with the like setting of the pistons in the two cylinders, and in the event of a dilerent setting of the pistons there will be a like change in the setting of the cams.

It is advisable to heat the air which is employed for admixture with the oil in order to produce the motive-power gas or vapor for the engine, and for this reason I lead the exhaust-pipe 5l oi' the engine to a casing 52, through which the air-pipe 28 passes at some point between the air-reservoir 23 and the engine, preferably at a point between said reservoir and themixer 27, as shown in Fig. l. By this means not only is the air heated, but the sound of the exhaust is deadened and the objectional puffing noise which accompanies the exhaust of an ordinary gas-engine is prevented. The same means may be employed for heating gas when that forms part of the motive fluid of the engine.

The degree of heat. imparted to the air may be such that the mixture of oil-vapor and hot air under pressure entering the cylinder of the engine may be ignited by the heat of said cylinder or by contact with an incandescent igniter; but if an electric igniter is used for the purpose of exploding the charge I prefer to adopt the construction shown in Figs. 4 and 7, on reference to which it will be observed that the engine-casing has in line with each of the piston-chambers therein a plate 53, serving as a guide for a pin 54, a tubular extension of the plate 53 being closed by a screw-plug 55 and containing a coiled spring 56, which is interposed between said plug and a collar'57 on the pin 54. From the pin 54 projects a lug 58, which is normally in contact with an elastic finger 59, mounted in a block 60, of insulating material, carried by the plate 53; but as the piston rotates in the cylinder it will thrust the pin 54 outward and separate said lug 58 and finger 59. The plate 53 is connected to one pole and the tinger 59 to the other pole of an electric generator capable of producing a sparking current. Consequently when the terminals 58 and 59 are separated from each other aspark will be produced which will ignite the explosive mixture in the cylinder, it being understood that the chamber containing the said terminals is in free communication with the interior of the cylinder.

A rotary engine such as forms the subject of my invention is of compact size and can be run at very high speed, so as to develop a large amount of power in proportion to its size, and as it can be started as readily as' a steam-engine and in its ruiming is free from vibration it is especially available as a motive power for torpedo-boats, dynamos, selfpropelling vehicles, and the like, the absence of any noisy and intermittent exhaust rendering it much superior to the usual form of reciprocating gas-engines for the latter purpose. Sonie of the features of Inyinvention are, however, applicable to reciprocating gas or vapor engines as well as to rotary engines.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The combination in a vapor-engine, of a reservoir for air under pressure, an oil-reservoir, means for exerting pressure of air on the oil, means for mixing a portion of said oil with the air to form a motive fluid, the engine-cylinder having an eccentric piston and reciprocating plunger having a bearing thereon, a casing for said plunger connected to the air-reservoi,r, and valves whereby said reciprocating plunger is caused to act as a pump or compressor, for supplying air under pressure to the'reservoir.

2. The combination in a vapor-engine, of a reservoir for air under pressure, an oil-reservoir, means for exerting pressure of air on the oil, means for mixing a portion of said oil with the air to form a motive duid, the two enginecylinders having eccentric pistons occupying different circumferential positions on the shaft, reciprocating plungers having bearing on said pistons, casings for said plungers connected to the air-reservoir, and valves whereby each of said reciprocating plungers is caused to act as a pump or compressor and by alternate operation produce a continuous iiow of air to the air-reservoir.

3. The combination in a vapor-engine, of a reservoir for air under pressure, an oil-reservoir, means for exerting pressure of air on the oil, means for mixing a portion of said oil with the air to form a motive Huid, the engine-cylinder having an veccentric piston therein, a plunger having a circular portion cut away at the bottom, a flat-sided shoe adapted to said recessed portion of the plunger and bearing upon the piston, a casing for said plunger connected to the air-reservoir and recessed at the inner end for the reception of said shoe, and valves whereby the reciprocation of the circular portion of the plunger in the casing, effects the compression of the air-supply, substantially as specified.

4. The combination of a gas or vapor engine, a reservoir of air under pressure, an oilreservoir, a pipe through which the air ows to the engine, and ltwo passages leading from said pipe to the oil-reservoir, one of said passages terminating in the pipe in a direction opposed to the direction of flow of the air and serving to convey air from the pipe to the oil-` reservoir, and the other passage terminating IOC) IIO`

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in the pipe in a direction corresponding with the direction of flow of the air, and serving to convey oil from the oil-reservoir to the pipe for admixture With the air.`

5. The combination of a gas or vapor engine, a reservoir of air under pressure, an oilreservoir, a pipe through which the air flows to the engine, and two passages leading from said pipe to the oil-reservoir, one of said passages terminating in the pipe in a direction opposed to the direction of flow of the air and serving to convey air from the pipe to the oilreservoir, and the other passage terminating in the pipe in a direction corresponding with the direction of How of the air, and serving 15 to convey oil from the oil-reservoir to the pipe for admixture with the air, and a governoractuated valve in the latter passage.

In testimony whereof I have signed mjy name to this speciiication in the presence of zo two subscribing Witnesses.

FRANCIS G. BATES.

Witnesses:

F. E. BECHTOLD, Jos. H. KLEIN. 

